Man to Man
by DekotaSkye
Summary: John share a secret with Ian as his father Jack had share with him.


Man to Man.Father to Son.  
  
By: DekotaSkye  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters, the Jim Henson Company does, and.whoever else. I give credit to all the author of books I might have read over the years that help teach me to tell a story. Just using the characters for a moment in fun and entertainment. Special thanks go to Kazybaby for her great suggestions and Beta. Rated: G-shippy  
  
"Daddy?"  
  
John turned towards the small voice. Ian stood hugging his toy gun to his chest, his fingers in his mouth. Without a word, John dropped his rag and held out his hand. Hesitantly, Ian eased his way over and took the hand. His eyes were large and sad.  
  
"What's wrong, son?" John said gently.  
  
"Do you love me?"  
  
"Yes," John answered back firmly, his heart giving a quick jerk at the question his son asked.  
  
"Do Mommy, love me?"  
  
"Yes, she does."  
  
"And Aery?"  
  
"Yes, son. What's wrong?"  
  
Ian's fingers began picking nervously at his toy gun, with his focus on the toy, he didn't see the unshed tears burning his father's eyes. The silence grew when Ian finally looked back up.  
  
"Daddy?"  
  
"Yes, son."  
  
"That man on the planet...he called me a half breed..." Ian mumbled out.  
  
John grew concerned at this bit of news. "Oh."  
  
John looked down at his son.  
  
Ian continued to pick at his toy. "Daddy, he looked mean and he.he said some nasty stuff about Mommy."  
  
John sat down on the floor, tilting his head ever so slightly. "Where were you when he said this?"  
  
"With Auntie Chi." Ian looked up with a ghost of a smile on his face. "Auntie Chi kick him in the tender spot."  
  
"She did." John kept a straight face. "What did you do?"  
  
"Nothing," Ian mumbled, as he twisted his small body back and forth."  
  
"Ian, what did you do?" John repeated softly.  
  
"I kicked him."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Daddy, he said some bad things about Mommy. You said us men had to protect the women in our lives." Ian explained with reason.  
  
"Yes...sometime that is true. Now where did you kick him?" He asked again.  
  
"Auntie Chi said it was in the right place."  
  
"Ian.?"  
  
Ian moved over to the workbench rushed out with the answer. "In the mouth after he fell to the ground. He said something about Mommy that was really nasty."  
  
"Oh. Mmmm, well under those."  
  
"I heard Auntie Chi tell Mommy."  
  
"Oh, she did. And what did your Mommy say."  
  
"I was her little worrier." Ian repeated but not looking too happy.  
  
"What's wrong, son?"  
  
Hesitating, he answered with a soft whisper, "He scared me, Daddy."  
  
"Ian, come here." He said holding out his arms.  
  
Looking back up, he was still uncertain, but the need to be held was too great, dropping his toy gun Ian rushed into his father's arms. As he gathered his son close John kissed him on the top of his head.  
  
"Listen to me...No matter what anyone says about your family, always remember that it isn't true," John explained to him, taking the boys chin in his hand and lifted his face up to look into his eyes," And.it's not wrong to be scared."  
  
"Aery said I'm just a baby, so it was expected for me to be scared."  
  
John nodded his head in understanding. "Ian, I'm going to let you in on a secret. This is a man-to-man thing. We don't share it with anyone but us men."  
  
"Why?" He muttered from John's chest.  
  
"Because the females just wouldn't understand...It's a guy thing. Do you think you can keep this secret?"  
  
Pulling back, Ian gazed at his father in the eyes. "Yes, sir."  
  
"We men do get scared from time to time."  
  
With astonishment crossing his face, Ian stared at his father in a moment of silence.  
  
"You get scared?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And Uncle D'Argo?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Doesn't that make us a coward?"  
  
"No." John answered. "Facing your fears can make you strong."  
  
"Daddy, did you know the man said he knew who you were.what you were."  
  
"I'll talk to your Aunt Chi about him later."  
  
Ian laid his head back on John's chest. "Daddy, doesn't Mommy get scared?"  
  
"Yes." John pulled Ian closer to him. "Son, let me tell you what my father told me once."  
  
"Grandpa?"  
  
"Yeah. There is no shame in being scared. It's how you face your fear. "  
  
"But, Daddy, if you're scared how can you be brave? That makes no sense." Ian looked back up at his father.  
  
"The secret is how you face your fear...and by not given into it. I knew a man who reached out further then anyone else and took the first step on a moon that no other person of his species had done. He said 'This is one step for man and one giant leap for mankind.' He faced his fear and did what no other had done."  
  
"Who was he, Daddy? Did grandpa do that?"  
  
"A Human named Neil Armstrong."  
  
"Was he a friend of Grandpa?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"But Grandpa walked on the moon too didn't he?"  
  
"Yes, he did."  
  
"If Grandpa was scared when he walked on the moon and he face his fear then he must really be brave."  
  
John chuckled. "Yeah, he is that."  
  
Ian pulled back from his father. "Daddy, is Grandpa a hero?"  
  
"Yeah he is."  
  
"Uncle D'Argo said he heard that Grandpa said you had to be your own kind of hero." A frown marred Ian's young brow. "I know you are a hero. So being brave is facing what you fear the most."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then why do you hide from Mommy when she is mad at you?"  
  
"Ahhh.fear also help keep you alive."  
  
Looking doubtful Ian asked. "How?"  
  
"It's knowing when to stand your ground and when to give." John tried to explain. He saw the confusion on Ian's face. "Has there been a time you have hidden from Aeryanna when she was mad?"  
  
"Yeah," Ian muttered embarrassed.  
  
"It's okay, son. That is what you call survival. If you want to stay alive and unhurt sometime it's just best to be out of harms way."  
  
Ian leaned back onto John's chest. They remained quiet for a short time when Ian started to scoot off of his father's lap. Watching him, John just waited for Ian to speak again. Picking up his gun, Ian went back to his father. "I get it now. But Daddy, do you think Aery ever get scared?"  
  
" I know for a fact your sister is scared just as much as you are." John reassured him.  
  
Smiling Ian put his toy gun in his small holster. "Thanks, Daddy."  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
"Do you think we can have another one of these Man-to-Man talks?"  
  
"Anytime, son. Anytime."  
  
Both turned as Aeryanna ran up to them. "Ian...Mommy is looking for you. Don't you have your comm on?"  
  
Ian looked down at his comm. "I don't know."  
  
John looked from one to the other and marveled over his fortune over have these beautiful children. "Ian, you better get going."  
  
Aeryanna looked over at her father. "What were you and Ian talking about, Daddy?"  
  
"Oh, a Man-to-Man things. You know just like Girl Talk."  
  
She frowned. "Auntie Chi said if a room full of men get together and talk, then not much is being said."  
  
"Really...and what do your mother say to that?" John inquired softly as he took Aeryanna's hand and left to join the others.  
  
"She didn't say anything but smile. She would never say why." Aeryanna answered as they left the docking bay."  
  
The stationary DRD moved away after everyone left. Pilot looked up startled as Moya started to purr. Purr.?  
  
Finis 


End file.
